NOVENAS

Each year I do a series of nine posts, a novena, to dive deeper into a central theme that creative people struggle to overcome. Work with a novena by reading each post in order, one per week. Reflect on the message of that post in the context of your own career, noting where you can take action to change things up or reinforce the positive. Set your intentions around the overall novena theme and enjoy the progression you experience!

Aesthetics is just one aspect of design. So why has architecture become a beauty contest? Explore all the other elements critical to relevant, resonant space that makes the people who use it people better.

So many of us subscribe to a very one-dimensional path. One where we force ourselves to do things we aren’t even good at while letting our true talent wither. One where only a certain type of personality is recognized or rewarded. Oh, really? Architecture is far from being a one size fits all career. In this series, we will explore what it really means to be an architect and hear from some professionals who are redefining the profession.

We spend so much time with the “should,” trying to conform to the expectations of others. Get beyond the artificial milestones and start working on your true success path by living your strength. It’s an inside job, one that resonates at your core with the person you are, nurturing that potential to become all that you were meant to be. Building on the strengths that you possess, in character, interest and aptitude requires a lot of introspection because we bury that all so deeply. We look outside of ourselves. We model the behavior we see, and react to praise and criticism. When you identify and build on your inner strengths, you achieve the success you deserve. On your terms.

What keeps us from realizing our fullest potential is often our own limiting beliefs. But those beliefs did not get in our heads all by themselves. They are part of a collective consciousness, or meme, that exists in our society at large and creative professions in particular. We operate under their spell, assuming as “givens” things that are ripe for the questioning. Explore each meme and become aware of how it manifests itself in your career so you can take steps to eliminate it and fearlessly realize the career of your dreams.

Creativity is all about creating change, something out of nothing. Yet, so often, we downplay that and choose to play small. If you are ready to stop holding back, read the inspirational stories of nine change makers who never took no for an answer or allowed limited circumstances to limit their vision. Discover with each post how to find the opportunity to make a real difference in everything you do. Recognize that even the smallest project can impact people for the better if you approach it with the right attitude.

Sometimes, it is only when we have been pushed to the limits of what we think we can endure that we discover our true strengths and abilities. This novena explores negative issues we encounter professionally and how to guard against their potentially corrosive influence to self esteem. As you emerge from the other side of these, you are invited to transform how you think about what’s possible in your career.